Draft and buffing rigging.



Na 776,390, PATENTBD Nov.z9,1904.

l Rf. D. GALLAGHER, JR.V

DRAFT AND BUFPING RIGGING.

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DRAFT AND BUPFING RIGGING.

APPLIoATIoN FILED JAN. 5. 1904.

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No. 776,390. PATENTED NGV. 29, 1904. R. D. GALLAGHER, JR. DRAFT AND BUPPING RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1904.

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witnesses rre @rares Patented November 29, 1904.

RICHARD D. GALLAGHER, JR., OF NFNV YORK` N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD COUPLER COMPANY, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., A CORPO- RATION OF NEI/V JERSEY.

DRAFT AND'BUFFING. HIGGINS..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,390, dated November 29, 1904.

Application filed January' 5, 1904. Serial Nro. 187,812. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, RICHARD D. GALLAGI-Ina, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft and Bu fling Rigging; and I do hereby declare the following' to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being' had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus designed for yieldingly resisting' strains and wherein the yielding resistance of springs is augmented by frictional resistance between frictional elements, the invention being more particularly adapted for use 'in connection with draft and buiiing rigging of railway-cars, although, as will be readily understood by those skilledin the art, it may be adapted for application in any situation where sudden or heavy strains must be absorbed by a yielding resistance.

The objects of the invention are to provide an apparatus having a capacity for varying the resistance to a greater degree than could be secured by the simple augmentationof spring resistance such as will occur by the gradual compression of a spring' and at the same time to secure the advantages of the additional enormous augmentation due to the employment of friction elements, but without the necessity of requiring said friction elements to be constantly in action in resisting relatively slig'ht strains or to be constantly subjected to wear, such as would occur if the spring in most constant use were made of sufiicient strength to yieldingly resist the maximum strain for which the apparatus is designed.

The invention consists, broadly, in the employment of successively-acting' springs in connection with the friction elements, whereby the final yielding resistance may be vastly augmented over and above the resistance which would be given by the ordinary spring plus the frictional resistance.

The invention further consists in the provision of springs of differing strength adapted to act successively in conjunction with the friction elements, the stronger spring operating to absorb preliminary strains directly, while the weaker spring in conjunction with the friction elements operates to absorb relatively greater strains, the said stronger springs then operating in conjunction with the friction elements to resist strains of still greater magnitude, whereby the apparatus will g'ivc a yielding resistance augmenting in a greater ratio than would be practicable with a spring or springs of uniform strength.

The invention further consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be now described, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional view through a draft and bung rigging adapted for application to railway-cars and embodying one arrangement according to my present improvement. Fig. 2 is a View corresponding to Fig'. l, but showing' a reversal of the parts.4 Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views showing double end devices embodying the present improvements, the friction elements in Fig. 3 being shown at the outer ends and in Fig. et at proximate ends of the parts constituting the double device. Fig. 5 is a similar View showingamodilied arrangement of the parts.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

In all of the forms of the invention illustrated, which forms, however, it will be understood, merely show the invention as applied to one type of friction draft-gear, the rigging is adapted to be mounted between draft-timbers of a railway-car, and such timbers are indicated in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings bythe letter A. As is usual in draftrigging', suitable stops A are mounted on the draft-timbers for limiting the movement of the rigging and for transmitting strains to the car-frame. Pressure may be applied by a draw-bar B and tail-strap C, both of which are shown as of conventional form.

The friction elements adopted for illustration in connection with the present invention are of a type now well known and consist, essentially, of a central wedge member D, wedge-blocks D', and a barrel or casing D2, having' inclined inner faces or a bellmouth D3, within which the center wedge D and wed ge-blocls Dl are located. Said wedgeblocks are adapted to be moved inwardly under strains in one direction and the barrel and bell-mouth to be advanced under strains in the opposite direction, so as to move said wedgeblocks toward each other and cause the center wedge to retreat. Aspring E is provided for resisting the longitudinal movement of the center wedge D, such spring seating at one end against said wedge and at the opposite end against a secondary follower F, which latter in the specific form of the invention illustrated is supported by a relatively heavy spring G. In the simple embodiment, Fig. l, followers H serve as a convenient means between which the friction elements, barrel, and springs are held, and the secondary follower F seats against shoulders f in the inner end of the barrel, the proportions of the parts being such that the barrel is normally held away from its stop or follower H by the heavy spring G a sufficient distance to permit of a slight free spring action under strains in either direction.

The strength of the springs is preferably so proportioned that the resistance offered bythe spring E plus the frictional resistance of the friction elements will be greater than the free spring resistance of the spring G, and as a consequence in the preliminary movements in either direction the barrel will first be brought t0 its Seat against the follower H, after which the friction elements will begin to move upon each other, compressing the spring' E, which latter alone is of less strength than the spring G. Further movement will further compress the spring E through the relative movement of the friction elements until said spring' E is compressed to a degree equal to or greater than the resistance then offered by the spring' G, when both springs will operate to resist the frictional movement of th'e friction elements. It is preferred that the spring E should be closed solid prior to or at the moment when the spring Gbecomes effective or that a projection I shall be interposed between the eenter wedge D and secondary follower F to transfer the pressure of the center wedge D directly to the spring G at the moment when the movement of the spring Eis eX- hausted or at such time in its movement when it is desired to increase the frictional resistance over and above the resistance which would be caused by the spring E alone.

The relative strength of the springs, it will be obvious, may be greatly' varied, and while in practice it is preferred to employ a relatively light spring for resisting or augmenting the frictional resistance of the friction elements during all ordinary strains and a very heavy spring G to provide a final yielding resistance of great strength nevertheless these springs may be so proportioned that the variations in the resistance will merge one into the other without a sudden and sharp increment in the resistance, such as would be occasioned by springs of widely differing strength.

The idea of employing springs of diering strength for changing the frictional resistance during compression', it is obvious, may be utilized in many different forms of friction-rigging, and in this application I have illustrated its variations only in connection with frictionrigging employing a central wedge with transversely-movable wedge-blocks and a barrel or like member having inclined inner faces with which the wedge-blocks cooperate; but I do not wish to be restricted to this particular type of rigging save where the claims specihcally7 designate the same.

In Fig. 2 is shown a reverse arrangement of the parts illustrated in Fig. lthat is to say, the center wedge K in this instance is provided with a projection K', having shoulders and adapted to coperate with the rear follower K2 and intermediate follower K3, while the barrelKis provided withshoulders for cooperation with the spring E, which latter advances the barrel instead of advancing the center wedge, as in Fig. l.

In operation the parts act as described in connection with Fig. l save that the center wedge K cooperates with the heavy spring G during the inital movements and its movement is arrested by contact with the follower K2 to cause the friction elements to act. The said center wedge in this Fig. 2 thus functions like the barrel D2 in Fig. l, and in this respect the apparatus of Fig.- 2 is simply a reversal of that shown in Fig. l.

In Figs. 3 and et double end devices are shown, wherein two sets-of friction elements are employed. vIn Fig. 3 the two devices corresponding in structure to that illustrated in Fig. l are assembled with a single intermediate heavy spring G between the intermediate followers F.I which latter correspond to the follower F of Fig. 1. In operation this device is similar to that of Fig. l save that both ends act simultaneously and permit of a somewhat wider range of movement.

In Fig. 4 the two units are assembled with the friction elements in proximity. The wedge-blocks D", which correspond to the wedge-blocks D of Fig. 1, preferably bear against a separating-plate M, although this is not material, as said wedge-blocks may bear directly against eachother and have no move- IOO IIO

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ment between their contacting faces, thus, in effect, constituting diamond-shaped wedgeblocks adapted to move transversely of the line of pressure.

Fig. 5 illustrates an arrangement wherein the structure is designed to permit of its use between stops, which are located somewhat close together, and also so as to protect and inclose the springs. In this figure instead of employing a rear follower a barrel S is provided having projections or shoulders s near its forward end for cooperation with therear stops T. The barrel S is preferably provided with internal shoulders S, against which the secondary follower F comes to rest, and additional stops U on the draft-timbers with shoulders V on the bell-mouth D3 are preferably provided to transmit the strain directly to the draft-timbers when the friction elements are in action, the latter shoulders and stops being brought into engagement before the secondary follower F seats against the shoulders S in order that the iinal action of the friction members shall be resisted by the heavy spring Gr.

The illustrations of the application of the invention to this particular type of friction draft-gear are believed to be suiicient for those skilled in the art to apply the same to any of the types of friction draft-gear now well understood, and hence further illustration is deemed to be unnecessary; but it will be distinctly understood that I do not wish to be limited to the application of the invention to the particular type of friction draft-gear illustrated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus of the character described the combination with friction elements adapted to move with relation to each other, of independent yielding resistance elements of different strength arranged to act in succession and both operating to press the friction elements together and both compressed by the frictional movement of the elements upon each other in resisting strain; substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with friction elements adapted to move with relation to each other, of independent yielding resistance elements of different strength, operating first individually and then in unison, to resist the frictional movement of the friction elements upon each other; substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a yielding resistance element and frictional elements having a movement as a body and also a frictional movement upon each other, the latter movement being resisted by said yielding resistance element, of a second yielding resistance element for resisting first the movement of said friction elements as a body and secondly the frictional movement of said elements on each other; substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of the following instrumentalities, to wit; friction elements embodying two longitudinally-movable members and intermediate transversely-movable members having inclined faces` cooperating with the longitudinally-movable members to move the latter' longitudinally with relation to each other and a separate yielding resistance element for yieldingly resisting the movement of each of said longitudinally-movable members; substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of the following instrumentalities, to wit; friction elements embod ying two members longitudinally movable with relation to each other and intermediate members having inclined friction-faces coperating with both the first-mentioned members to move them longitudinally with relation to each other, a separate yielding resistance element for yieldingly resisting the movement of each of said longitudinally-movable members, a stop for arresting the movement of one of said members and means whereby both yielding elements will resist the further movement of the other member; substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus, of the character described, the combination with the friction elements vembodying a longitudinally-movable barrel and longitudinally movable center wedge having friction-faces and intermediate transversely -movable wedge-blocks, of a spring for resisting the movement of the barrel, center wedge and wedge-blocks in unison and a separate spring for resisting the transverse movement of the wedge-blocks and relative longitudinal Vmovement of the center wedge and barrel; substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with the friction elements embodying a barrel adapted to move longitudinally, and members movable transversely and longitudinally in said barrel, of a spring for yieldingly resisting the longitudinal movement of the barrel and a spring for yieldingly resisting the movement of the members within the barrel.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with the friction elements embodying a barrel adapted to move longitudinally and members movable transversely and longitudinally in said barrel, of a spring for yieldingly resisting the longitudinal movement of the barrel and a second spring supported by the first spring' for resisting the movement of the members in the barrel; substantially as described.

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9. In an apparatus of the character described the combination with the friction elements adapted to move frictionally upon each other in resisting' strain, of springs of dilferent strength arranged in tandem and adapted to successively yieldingly resist the movement of the friction elements upon each other; substantially as described,

l0. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with the friction elements, of springs of dierent strength arranged in tandem, one of said springs adapted to yieldingly resist the movement of the friction elements as a body and both of said springs being adapted to resist the frictional movement of the elements upon each other; substantially as described.

l1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with the barrel having shoulders therein and friction members in said barrel, of two springs adapted to resist the movement of the friction members in the barrel, one of said springs being adapted to seat against the shoulders in the barrel; substantially as described.

l2. In an apparatus such as described, the combination With the longitudinally-movable barrel, and the friction members movable in unison With and also independently of the barrel, of a heavy spring for resisting the movement of the barrel and friction elements in unison and a light springI for resisting the movement of the friction members in the barrel; substantially as described.

13. In an apparatus such as described, the combination with the longitudinally-movable barrel and spring seating' against shoulders in the barrel for resisting the movement of the same, of the friction members in the barrel, one of said members having a projection for cooperation With said spring to render the spring effective in resisting the movement of the friction members in the barrel at the same time that it resists the movement of the barrel; substantially as described.

14. In an apparatus such as described the combination With the longitudinally-rnovable barrel, means for limiting' its movement toward its limiting means and a spring for resisting its movement, of friction members in the barrel, a second spring for resisting the movement of such members independently of the barrel and means whereby the first-mentioned spring augments the resistance of the second spring when the movement of the barrel is arrested; substantially as described.

RICHARD D. GALLAGHER, JR.

Vitnesses:

A. HAMILTON COOKE, THOMAS DURANT. 

